John habdman



(No Model.)

J. HARDMAN. Piano Forte Action Frame.

Patented Dec. 14,1380.

ATT EST;

INVENTUHJ'Q N. PEIERS, PHOTO-UTHOGRLFHER, WASHINGTON, u c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

JOHN HARDMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO HARDMAN, DOWNLING & PEOK, OF SAME PLACE.

PIANO-FORTE ACTION-FRAME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 235,357, dated December 14, 1880,

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN HARDMAN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Piano-Fortes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the movable actionframe in upright piano-fortes,whereby I combine and sustain the frame intact and secure it To direct to the iron frame of the piano bya strong and very simple contrivance. The combined frame I arrange so that it may be inclined outward from the other works, or be at once lifted entirely out and removed from the piano for 1 examination or rcpairindependent of any other part, both of which operations are, however, common with other upright pianos, and form no part of my invention.

In drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevation of my combined action-frame. Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of the samealso, by dotted lines, as thrown back for inspection, in which position it is free to be removed altogether, as stated; and Fig. 3 is a side view of the foot or lower end and step of the standard a.

My improvements consist, first, in the peculiarly-constructed oscillating standards a a, which constitute a part of the frame, as they serve to secure and support the several elements which make up the combined action intact. The standards (60/ proper consist of single bars slightly waved from a direct line, but are bentinwardly at the head or top end to an angle of, say, forty-five degrees, more or less, which inclined portion is provided with an open perforation or slot at f, to receive the lock-boltm. This, being a most-important feature in my improvement, combined with the iron frame, will be again referred to. Near the middle of the standards a a a branch or bracket, 12, curved outward and upward, is shown, and carrying on its end a plate and damper-pad, Z, to support the combined soft pedal and hammer-rail '6, made fast to a lever, 41, which oscillates on a center of motion through and near to the base of the bracket, at b. This rail 41 is actuated, in the usual manner, by a foot-pedal and elevating-rod at one end, but is not shown in 50 the drawings. A plate, h, is shown as cast onto the standards to hold the action-rail h, and a second plate is shown above it, at k, to hold the damper-rail It.

So far as described the standards a a are precisely alike; but they differin construction 5 5 at their lower ends or feet, which forms my second improvement, as follows: The standard a rests at its lower end or foot and rocks upon a short pin, (1, secured in a block or otherwise, (P, at the side of the case. This foot consists of a long toe, c, and a short toe, c, the two toes being separated by a slot, d, which takes over and oscillates upon the pin (1. The toe c is made to serve as a check-lever and look by an auxiliary pin, 6, fixed in the block or framing near to the pin (1, taking against which the toe 0 holds the action-frame in the position shown by dotted lines. It will be seen that either toe may be elongated and turned to take against a fixed pin with like effect. This standard (0 forms one end of the frame, and the oppositeendhasitsduplicate. Betweenthetwo standards a, at proper intervals, the standards a are fixed, differing from a in the form of their feet only, as, instead of the toes and slot, they (a) terminate in angle-points resting in V-grooves, as shown at a (1?, Fig. 3. It follows that when released at the top, as shown, the entire action-frame may be lifted outor held in the position as shown in Fig. 2.

The third element in my improvements consists in a novel method for securing the actionframe to the main work of the instrument. It is usual in such cases to employ an iron or steel lock-bolt, one end of which is made fast 8 5 in and at right angles with the wood frame work of the piano, the outer end of the bolt holding to the standards by set-screw nuts. Wood in time will shrink, or swell, or warp, or disintegrate in so many cases that it should 90 never be depended on where precision of strength and minute position of parts are imperative. It is for these and other good reasons that I secure my lock-bolts directly into and at a considerable angle with the metal 5 frame or plate of the instrument, as shown at m B, Fig. 2. The outer ends of the bolts pass through, regulate, and confine the stand ards by screw-nuts a, at f. When the action is lifted from the instrument it may be sustoo tained in an upright position by setting the feet of the standards into holes bored in short Wooden blocks, as supports, placed transversely with the frame.

I do not claim, generally, the use of metallic standards adapted to the frames of upright piano-fortes; nor do I claim the use of oscillating centers for the bottom ends of such standards, nor the securing of such standards by bolts fastened to the wrest-plank or other wood-Work of the piano, as all such devices are well known; but

WVhat I do claim as myimprovement in upright piano-fortes, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The inclined head or upper end,f, of an action-frame standard, combined with the in- 

